FC Lorient defender Nathaniel Adjei expects his side will need to be at their best to overcome a top-quality Stade Reims team on Sunday.
Despite knowing their opponents will be difficult to beat, the Ghanaian guardsman stated they are ready to play in an interview with GHANASoccernet.com prior to the match against Reims.
Reims have become a thorn in the flesh of the visitors in their last five meetings.
The Red and Whites have recorded three victories and two draws against FC Lorient, including a 1-0 win in the first round of the season.
So Sunday will represent an important opportunity for Regis Les Bris’ men to show that they can see off even such a formidable opponent.
“Reims are an excellent team,” Adjei noted.
“We lost our first round match against them at their home. Although I wasn't present at the time, the guys have been discussing how brutally we lost that game all week, so they are aware of how crucial this game will be for our confidence moving forward if we win,” the 21-year-old stated.
“We'll have to play a really good game.”
“We must approach the game with the same mindset that we've displayed in the last two games, especially because we're playing a top-quality team.”
FC Lorient are sitting 17th with 16 points after matchday 21. They are three points from safety.
The Orange and Black outfit have collected four points from two games since Adjei joined in a fortnight ago.
Adjei made a cameo appearance on his debut in the 3-3 thriller against Le Havre.
The former Danboat FC youth product played full throttle as the Brittany-based side beat FC Metz away.
He was included in the French Ligue 1 Team of the Week for the performance he exhibited in that encounter.